Petrochemical FCC is a fluidized-bed catalytic cracking process used to produce light olefins (ethylene and propene), having the following characteristics: the use of feedstock comprizing hydrocarbons with a low boiling point (diesel range), highly selective catalyst stock, with a high proportion of zeolite from the pentasil family mixed with type-Y zeolite, a high reaction temperature in a riser reactor; and a quenching section ¼ above the reactor feedstock supply section.
This combination of process conditions generates a high energy demand in the reaction section and production of a very small amount of coke on the catalyst.
As a result, the coke burned in the regenerator, to restore the activity of the catalyst and to generate energy for the process, only provides between 5% and 20% of the total energy required, and heat needs to be added to the process continuously to maintain the heat balance in the converter.
The process for supplying energy involves burning an oil in the fluidized catalytic bed of the combustion device (regenerator).
Accordingly, this invention concerns a process in which the catalyst is regenerated inside a high-performance combustion device, the main energy source for the process, such as to avoid problems such as the occurrence of hotspots in the fluidized catalytic bed of the combustion device or in the afterburning in the dilute phase of the bed, which may cause the permanent deactivation of the catalyst and damage the equipments inside the combustion device.